The Jeff Beck Group - Bonus Tracks (1967-1969)

Compilation 
The Jeff Beck group were an English rock band originally active in the late 60s, led by guitarist Jeff Beck.

This eleven-track album is compiled from the bonus tracks that came with the 2006 re-issues of the Jeff Beck Group's original two albums, Truth and Beck-Ola. The one well-known song here is the uncharacteristically pop-like single "Hi Ho Silver Lining", which was Jeff Beck's first solo release after leaving The Yardbirds. It was produced by Mickie Most, who was not interested in the group, only Beck as a solo artist (it features a rare lead vocal from Beck himself). It was a UK hit in the spring of 1967, getting to #14. It featured an early lineup of the group, with Dave Ambrose on bass and Clem Cattini on drums. Its b-side was "Beck's Bolero", which can be found on Truth.

The other two singles were "Tallyman" (written by Graham Gouldman) and "Love Is Blue", both of which failed to chart. Together with b-sides and alternative versions of a few songs from Truth and Beck-Ola, these songs come to together to make a fine stand-alone album, and a welcome addition to the previously slim output of a truly great band.

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The Jeff Beck Group - Beck-Ola (1969)

The Jeff Beck Group were an English rock band originally active in the late 60s, led by guitarist Jeff Beck.

After the success of their debut album Truth, The Jeff Beck Group returned to the US for two more highly successful tours. They were joined by pianist Nicky Hopkins, who had played as a session musician on Truth. Hopkins was keen to play live, though was actually quite ill at the time. Before the band toured the US for the fourth time, they took time out to write new material and start work on a second album. It was then that drummer Micky Waller was replaced by Tony Newman, and Hopkins was hired as their full-time keyboardist.
Beck-Ola came out in the summer of 1969. It took the blues-rock format of Truth into heavier territories, part of which was due to the new drum sound that Newman brought with him. Alongside five original songs were two rocked-up Elvis Presley covers ("All Shook Up" and "Jailhouse Rock"). The one quiet moment of the album came courtesy of Hopkin's contribution, the piano-led instrumental "Girl From Mill Valley".
It got to the same US chart position as Truth had - #15. Though it was another step forward in terms of taking blues-rock into heavier directions (comparable to what Led Zeppelin were doing the same year), it could be argued that it wasn't as even an album as its predecessor, with not so much strong material (the album was only half an hour, with seven songs).
After its release, the band toured America for the fourth and final time. By then the inevitable personality differences were beginning to rise. That same summer singer Rod Stewart began work on his first solo album. The band was supposed to play the Woodstock festival, but Beck pulled out at the last minute. Both Stewart and Ronnie Wood then were announced as the replacements for Steve Marriot in the Small Faces (which they renamed the Faces). By then the band was finished. They were only together for two years, but during that time they played a very important (and sadly underappreciated) role in the development of rock music.
Later in 1970, Beck formed a new group using the same name. Rod Stewart went on to be a superstar, and Ronnie Wood became well-known as a guitarist first with the Faces and later with The Rolling Stones. Nicky Hopkins went to America and played with Jefferson Airplane and Quicksilver Messenger Service, as well as continuing to play on Rolling Stones records until his death, and Tony Newman worked with Davie Bowie, T Rex and others in the 70s.

Truth (1968) <|> Rough And Ready (1971)
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The Jeff Beck Group - Truth (1968)

The Jeff Beck group were an English rock band originally active in the late 60s, led by guitarist Jeff Beck.

When Jeff Beck left The Yardbirds in 1967 (leaving Jimmy Page as the band's guitarist), he went on to form a new group with singer Rod Stewart (who had previously been in The Steampacket) and rhythm guitarist Ron Wood. Bassists and drummers changed regularly, until they settled on Aynsley Dunbar on drums, and Wood switched over to bass. The band released a single, "Hi Ho Silver Lining", which became a chart hit at #14, before Dunbar left and was replaced by Mickey Waller (who had been in The Steampacket with Stewart). After their next two singles failed to chart, they were ready to throw in the towel, until road manager Peter Grant booked them for a short US tour, where they proved massively popular. Back home in England, he secured them an album contract with Epic Records.
Their debut album, Truth, came out in 1968. It proved to be something very exciting, a heavy blues-rock fusion that was entirely new at the time. Driven by Beck's experimental, blues-styled guitar riffs and solos, it effectively paved the way for the hard rock that was to come, and is often credited as being the first glimpse of what would later emerge as heavy metal. Rod Stewart's gritty, soulful vocals were the perfect foil for Beck's guitar, and Wood and Waller provided a solid rhythm section. Keyboards were provided by session men Nicky Hopkins and John Paul Jones. The songs included two Willie Dixon classics ("You Shook Me" and "I Ain't Superstitous"), a reworking of the Yardbirds hit "Shapes Of Things", Bonnie Dobson's folk classic "Morning Dew", and a couple of originals which were obviously 'inspired by' a couple of other classic blues numbers. More surprisingly, there were versions of the traditional English tune "Greensleeves" and "Ol' Man River" (from the musical Show Boat).
The most interesting song of the album was the stunning instrumental "Beck's Bolero", which wasn't actually recorded by the Jeff Beck Group. On this song Beck was backed by Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar, John Paul Jones on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano and The Who's Keith Moon on drums. It was actually recorded back in '66 when Beck was still in the Yardbirds, and had been the b-side of "Hi Ho Silver Lining".
Truth was a success, and reached #15 on the album charts. Alongside Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Led Zeppelin, The Jeff Beck Group were pivotal in taking rock into heavier territories and paved the way for heavy metal.

|> Beck-Ola (1969)
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